The Dominant Leadership Style Within Guyana’s Public Sector
Abstract:
This
article explores the dominant leadership styles within Guyana's public sector,
highlighting the interplay between the factors that shape leadership practices.
The article is written based on the thesis “An Investigation of Leadership
Styles’ Influence on Employees in Guyana’s Public Sector – A Case Study,”
authored by Sven Douglas, one of the co-authors of this article. The thesis was
done utilizing a mixed-methods approach; the study combined qualitative structured
interviews with public sector leaders and quantitative surveys administered to
a broader range of public servants. The analysis was done using statistical
tools available for social sciences. These were Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Microsoft Excel. The findings
reveal that the predominant leadership styles lean towards transformational and
participative/democratic approaches, fostering collaboration and community
engagement. However, some challenges can inhibit the effective implementation
of these styles across all employees. This was evident, as many employees
stated they were less motivated than their colleagues. The article also
discusses the practical implications of the research, such as the need for more
inclusive leadership styles, and the future direction that would serve to
bridge or eliminate these gaps. By contributing to the understanding of
leadership in a Guyanese context, this research aims to inform future
initiatives to strengthen governance and public service delivery in Guyana.
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